Give me an I

In my Bible Alphabet blog series I stands for Israel.

There is no country in the world which is being criticized so much as Israel. Quite often by people, and this is really puzzling, who never had a conversation with a Jew or Arab from Israel, let alone paid a visit to the country.

Anyway, what is the deal with Christians and Israel?

The land of Israel is named after the patriarch Jacob (son of Isaac, grandson of Abraham) who had an encounter and wrestling match with God in the desert. In Genesis 32:28 it is written: Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with humans and have overcome.

In the Bible the twelve sons of Jacob and their descendants are called the people of Israel. In addition the Bible also clearly speaks about the land of Israel. For example, in Joshua 21:43, So the Lord gave Israel all the land he had sworn to give their ancestors, and they took possession of it and settled there. [The boundaries God has in mind can be found in Ezekiel 48].

Since then, thousands of years have passed and the Israelites were scattered all over the world through oppression, persecution and exile until in 1947 a resolution was passed by a majority vote in the UN that led to the state of Israel which was proclaimed on May 15, 1948.

Israel and the Jewish people are so important because it was through them that the promised Messiah has come: Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world. Many Christians bless Israel (by speaking for and not against Israel in conversations, by purchasing products or booking a vacation for example) because God speaks very clearly about doing so in His Word (Genesis 12: 2-3) I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.

Give me a G

In my Bible alphabet blog series G stands for God.

Duhh... you might be thinking, of course G stands for God in a Bible alphabet. You don't need to be a scientist to figure that out. But let's make sure there will be no confusion about the identity of this God.

He is the God of Israel! He is the God who shows favor and love to Israel and the Jewish people. This might be politically incorrect, but it is Biblical.

He is the God of creation. He created the vastness of the universe and the smallness of humanity. Because He has the overall picture, He alone is able to give us purpose and meaning in life.

He is the God of love, because no matter what we have done (or failed to do) He is waiting for our friendship. Only His love and forgiveness can truly fill the emptiness that we often try to fill up with substitutes (whether chocolate or drugs).

He is the God of peace who wants His followers to live in peace with everyone. His peace, which transcends all understanding, will guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

And by the way...

He is not the same God as Allah, because he has a Son who is called Jesus Christ, the Messiah, Savior of the world.

Restored relationships (7)

Reconciliation: end of conflict, restoration of friendly relations, reunion, bringing together (again), restoration of peace...

'As far as God is concerned, the friendship has been restored' I wrote in the previous blog post. Reconciliation simply means 'restored relationship'. The Bible shows that concept on various levels: God and mankind in general, God and Israel specific.... 

And what about us... how do we relate to one another? What can be said about the reconciliation between Jews and Gentiles (non-Jewish people)? Currently we can see a worldwide anti-Semitism rising up again, with severe hatred in Europe and the Middle East. Have we not understood God's plan of reconciliation?

Why are the Jewish people different from all other people on earth? Did they ask for that? Did they make it up? No! God wanted it that way. In Leviticus 20:24B He says: I am the Lord your God, who has set you apart from the nations. Israel and the Jewish people were set apart because they would bring forth the promised Messiah. Jesus (the Jewish Messiah) acknowledged this fact in His discussion with the Samaritan woman when He said that salvation would come from the Jews (John 4:22).

Jesus, the Son of God, was born of a Jewish mother. He lived and worked in Israel. He came to bring reconciliation between God and all of mankind, starting with the Jewish people! He said: I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel (Matthew 15:24).

The apostle Paul explains it again in Romans 1:16, For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. Until the time of Jesus it was forbidden for Jewish people to mix with other peoples/nations (and in some orthodox circles it is still so). It drastically changed when the apostle Peter began to understand Gods grace through a vision (Acts 10:28). The good news of reconciliation is now for everyone! (Acts 10:34-36).

Through our faith in the Messiah our relationship with God has been restored as well as our relationship with the Jewish people, we are now brothers and sisters of one Father. Romans 10:12 explains it like this: For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

God's specific plan with Israel (also called the olive tree) is still standing. The gentiles (non-Jewish people) are branches that are being grafted into this tree. We will grow together and bear fruit!

Think about it: reconciliation = end of conflict! Wouldn't it be great to see that happening in our world today? It starts with this question: Have you fully accepted His plan of reconciliation?

Restored relationships (5)

Reconciliation: end of conflict, restoration of friendly relations, reunion, bringing together (again), restoration of peace...

Restored relationship is really the simple meaning of the word reconciliation and it is the foundation of the Christian faith. The restored relationship between God and mankind is the first and most important level of reconciliation and certainly the most beautiful one. A second level that I want to mention on this blog is the reconciliation between God and His people Israel.

We have already seen in this series that a healthy relationship between God, the Creator of the Universe, and all mankind is possible as a result of the blood of Jesus that flowed once and for all when He was crucified. Colossians 1:19-20 describes it like this: For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him [that is Jesus/Yeshua/Isa], and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross

Blood, that has a negative sound to it, but biblically speaking life is in the blood. Without blood there is no life, even scientists know this :) Keep that thought...

Thousands of years ago God decided to dedicate one nation to be His very own, to set them apart. This is what holy means: to be set apart. Many people today reject this thought and are in disagreement with God (not a good place to be!) But whether people like it or not, it is still a fact. Leviticus 20:24-26 says: you are to be holy to Me, because I, the Lord, am holy, and I have set you apart from the nations to be my own.

God did not choose Israel because they were so wonderful and so great, on the contrary, it was the smallest nation of all at that time! But He loved them and He had made promises to their ancestors, Deuteronomy 7:7-8: The Lord did not set His affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples. But it was because the Lord loved you and kept the oath He swore to your forefathers....

It made God sad that they disobeyed Him all the time, for example by worshiping other gods and by neglecting His laws. He wanted to keep a healthy relationship with them, but sin kept defiling their friendship. So He set up a system for reconciliation: blood had to flow (the offering of animals) for the forgiveness of the sins of the people, with an annual summit called the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16).

In most world religions we still see this: blood has to flow (whether animals or people) in other to please the gods... which we think is horrible. But, wait a minute, wasn't blood offering God's idea? What exactly did He had in mind when he set up the system for reconciliation? Let's take a closer look at that in the next blog.

Fruit of the Spirit (4)

This past summer I watched some of the soccer games played in the World Cup 2014 and I kept seeing the statue of Jesus above Rio de Janeiro and the soccer stadiums. It made me think about peace amidst the chaos. What a beautiful picture for this blog series.

What the Spirit wants to do in us, is beautiful: The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23).

Let's take a look at peace. The peace the Bible talks about in this scripture is not necessarily the absence of war, but peace despite the war. Not a superficial peace, but an inner peace that surpasses all understanding. Where can we find such peace? Such peace comes from Jesus Himself, it is a peace He likes to give to all people... but do we want to receive it from Him?

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid (John 14:27).

Often we are willing and eager to try whatever it takes (therapy, pills, counseling, meditation etc.) but not the one thing the Prince of Peace promises. Often we have more confidence in our secular methods and doctors than in God Himself. But He is the one that promises peace, a peace that will break down all barriers, all walls and all animosity. Yes, also in the Middle East.

This summer the Elav Conference took place again, in Israel. Jews and Arabs came together to pray in the name of Yeshua and to pray for the peace in their nation (yes, amidst the chaos), which will start with peace in the hearts of the people! (See this awesome clip from last year's conference)

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:6-7).

Author to author

Translating author Lynn Austin

Last Thursday night I had the honor and privilege to meet with author Lynn Austin. She came to The Netherlands to promote her first non-fiction title Pilgrimage.

In the weeks prior to her visit I slowly read her latest release and was pleasantly surprised. The book is filled with nuggets of wisdom and truth! Lynn writes with raw honesty about the desert period she went through in her own life. Pilgrimage is a very inspirational book. I can absolutely recommend it. Give it as an encouragement to a friend or family member who is going through a hard time!

It was such a fun evening. Lynn showed photo's from her trip to Israel and shared the spiritual lessons the journey through that dry land taught her. I was asked to translate her message; how cool is that?! Many people came to the event and enjoyed Lynn's message and book signing.

Our very own Dutch singer/songwriter Christian Verwoerd (click on his name to see a video clip from Israel) was present as well, and performed several songs. His music turned out to be just right for this evening.

PS: I just received word this week from two of my foreign translators. The German translation of Breath of Life and the Spanish translation of Grace of Giving are finished and ready to be edited!

I sincerely hope your week had some writing highlights as well!

Lynn Austin comes to Holland

I am taking a short break from the no worries series, simply because I have a great news item. Bestselling author Lynn Austin will be doing a book tour in The Netherlands.

She will come to promote her first non-fiction book: Pilgrimage. It is a book about her personal pilgrimage to Israel where she found new passion for prayer and a deeper faith. Why am I so excited about this? Well, of course because I love books, I love writing, I love Israel and.... because I will have the honor to be Lynn's translator during her visit to Alblasserdam, the town where she will speak about her newest book. I am thrilled because I will have a chance to be with and to learn from a great author.

The back matter of her non-fiction debut Pilgrimage says:

We all encounter times when our spirit feels dry, when doubt looms. The opportunity to tour Israel came at a good time. For months, my life has been a mindless plodding through necessary routine, as monotonous as an all-night shift on an assembly line. Life gets that way sometimes, when nothing specific is wrong but the world around us seems drained of color. Even my weekly worship experiences and daily quiet times with God have felt as dry and stale as last year's crackers. I'm ashamed to confess the malaise I've felt. I have been given so much. Shouldn't a Christian's life be an abundant one, as exciting as Christmas morning, as joyful as Easter Sunday?

With gripping honesty, Lynn Austin pens her struggles with spiritual dryness in a season of loss and unwanted change. Tracing her travels throughout Israel, Austin seamlessly weaves events and insights from the Word . . . and in doing so finds a renewed passion for prayer and encouragement for her spirit, now full of life and hope.

The Dutch version of the book will come out next week. In America the book has been released last October. I am wondering, have you heard about her latest book and (just being curious) have you ever met an author you admired?

The Galilee Experience

Visiting the Sea of Galilee, October 2012

Nathanael declared, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the king of Israel.” (John 1:49)

Jesus is the King of Israel. King of the Jews was written on the cross. It seems almost a cynical joke that most people in Israel struggle to believe this. For us it is like this: if the Holy Spirit of that King lives in our heart, we inherit His love for Israel.

With our non profit organisation Traveling Light we support several initiatives in Isarel. Initiatives that are reaching out with the love of God to Jews as well as Arabs, Palestinians and Bedouins! In recent weeks I kept reading about the boycott of products from Israel and I wondered how I could give such news reports a positive twist. And yes, I came up with something :)

The son of one of our contacts in Israel works for The Galilee Experiece. The are located in Tiberias, right at the water's edge, with a huge store and theater. They have an extensive online shop with all kinds of products from Israel. Great if you want to give someone a special present, great if you want to spoil yourself a bit! Take a look around...

Visiting the Sorek caves in Israel

We just came back from a wonderful vacation in Israel. On our last day we visited a very special place, close to Hebron, the Sorek caves. It had been on my 'places-to-visit' list for some years, actually ever since I wrote Breath of Life. The main character in this book is called Sorek.

At the time of writing I purposely picked that name. I wanted a name that was unknown, yet biblical, so I searched for weeks until I came upon a verse in Judges 16:4, Some time later, he fell in love with a woman in the Valley of Sorek whose name was Delilah. I immediately liked the name Sorek. I found out that the name appears only once in the Bible and that it has a prophetic meaning. Exactly what I needed for the main character in my book.

The Sorek caves are now part of the National Park system in Israel. After a long search in the mountains south of Jerusalem we found the entrance to the park. Upon arrival we noticed that a couple of school buses had gone ahead of us. Hundreds of Arab and Jewish students came to admire this underground miracle as well. We walked down a natural stairway and descended into the caves where it was warm and humid (exactly as I had described the womb in Breath of Life) and at first it appeared dark. After our eyes got used to the darkness, however, we became aware of the incredible sanctuary we were in. Because of small orange and pink spot lights the cave's shapes, forms and colors looked like a scene in a science fiction movie... it felt like we had arrived on another planet. Wow, awesome! Indescribable...

Following a small and slippery pathway we wandered through the caves. After the school children left it was so quiet, only drops of water falling... It was truly amazing to be there. Sorek has his origin in Israel, that makes him a very special child!

Seventh Month of Tishri

"Is it truly possible to become so overwhelmed by our natural circumstances that we forget the power of the Living Word? I was complaining about the darkness, and forgot that He overrules everything, even darkness! Darkness has no power over the Real Light. Let’s reverse that today: the Real Light overpowers the darkness. I’ll leave you with the words David wrote about this subject. You can find this in Psalm 18:28, You, O Lord, keep my lamp burning; my God turns my darkness into light."

Photo impression Israel

Remains of Capernaum synagogue

It is written about Jesus that He didn't stay in Nazareth, but went to live in Capernaum (Kfar Nahum in Hebrew) (Matthew 4:13). Today there is not much left of that old town on the shores of the Sea of Gallilee, but the old synagogue is certainly worth a visit. It still breathes the atmosphere of biblical times.

Arbel National Park

Arbel National Park was a pleasant surprise. No crowds here, just tranquility and spectacular views of the Tiberias area.

Greek Orthodox church Capernaum

As we were strolling along the shoreline of the Sea of Gallilee, we stumbled upon this picturesque Greek church near Capernaum. Tranquility, beautiful gardens and grand views of the lake... awesome!

PS: for more pics, see my album on Facebook!